


Where Fate Takes Us

by USA_Tiger



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, M/M, Male Slash, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-04
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2018-04-18 23:35:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4724405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/USA_Tiger/pseuds/USA_Tiger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During a late night trip to the tower’s library, Atreyu Surana happens across an Elven book on Shape Shifting. Using his lucky find, he sets free himself and the rest of the apprentices from the Circle of Magi and escapes with his friends Jowan and Silver Amell with two young Elven mages in tow. Fate leads them to the Sabrae Clan were they save the lives of two of their members and travels north with them to the Free Marches and to Kirkwall to escape the Blight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Where Fate Takes Us

Author: USA Tiger

Disclaimer: Dragon Age is property of BioWare

Author Note: I swear a plot bunny latched onto me and would not let me go until I wrote this chapter out!

Thankies to me best minion Asilyessam for betaing/proof reading behind me.

Warning: Alternate universe, yaoi parings

 

Chapter 1

 

Creeping through the dark halls, a silent figure darted from shadow to shadow. Stopping and peering around a corner, the figure watched a man in a full suit of armor with a large sword at the knight’s side walk down the hallway with a lantern held high to light the knight’s way. Every few steps the knight would check behind statues or open closed doors to check behind them before moving on. At one point the shadowed figure ducked back behind the corner as the knight turned around to look back the way he came. The man stared down the hall for a moment or two then turned and continued his way.

Soon the light from the knight’s lantern was gone as he turned a corner and the figure listened to the footsteps move further and further away. The figure seemed to smirk and quietly slip around the corner into the hallway. The figure knew that the knight wouldn’t be coming back down this hallway for a couple of hours, if at all. The Templars that guarded the tower at night sometimes fell asleep when they were supposed to be guarding the tower.

Stopping at one of the doors, the figure opened it very slowly and peeked into the room beyond it. It searched for any signs of more Templars, happy when they didn’t see any. Not surprising, once everyone in the tower was asleep the Templars didn’t bother guarding the room beyond the door. Glancing over a shoulder one final time to make sure there was no one to see them, the figure slipped into the room and gently shut the door behind them.

“Ahh… alone at last,” The figure said very softly then walked through the room. It was a library filled with rows upon rows of bookshelves teeming with books. The figure walked over to the one of the highest shelves within the room and quickly climbed up it to sit at the top in a patch of moon light.

The figure was an Elf, a young male in his late teens. He had long silvery white hair, which seem to glow in the moonlight, and was currently unbound from the braid he kept it up in letting the silver strands frame his soft narrow face and fall in waves past his shoulders. Like any Elf, his ears were long and came to a sharp point, twitching and moving at every little sound he could hear. Elven ears were not just for show, their hearing was much better than a human’s and were very sensitive.

The boy was fair skinned, not deathly pale but it was pretty clear he got little to no sun most days. His eyes were a striking crystal blue, which drew many people in at times. One of the Elf’s most striking features though was the tribal like tattoos on his face; they were dark around the eyes, making them stand out even more than they already did, with little wispy lines breaking off near the bottom and sides to graze his cheeks and the corner of his eyes. On his forehead he bore two sets of slightly curved lines, one set on each side of his forehead. The tattoos could appear soft when he was relaxed or happy or sometimes gave him a fierce look when he was angry.

Many people who didn’t know any better mistook the marks for the markings that the Dalish Elves, a race of wondering Elves that roamed all the lands in Thedas as they refused to bow down to the Humans and their Chantry, that they called vallaslin or blood-writing in Elven that they wore to honor those they considered their gods call the Creators. But the marks were no vallaslin and the Elven boy was no Dalish. The marks on his face were called to mokos, a personal mark that many of his tribe took somewhere on their body, not always on the face, when they reached their teens. The Elven youth had to trick a bunch of younger Templars into getting his done when he reached his 16th name day.

The teen wore a night shirt that was too large for his lean frame, falling off one shoulder and his feet were bare.

His name was Atreyu Surana and he had been a prisoner of Kinloch Hold, or as it was more commonly called the Tower of Magi or Circle Tower, for just over 10 years. He had been brought there when he was 9 years old and was now 19, his name day having just passed only a few weeks ago. Not that anyone really wished him a happy name day, Atreyu didn’t speak to many people in the tower and there were even fewer he would even call friends. In fact the amount of people he would call friends here in the tower could be counted on one hand.

He hated the tower, he hated how trapped he was there. He was originally from the Korcari Wilds, living with his family and tribe deep within the forests there. But an very unfortunate series of events had led him to where he was now, starting with the murder of his father at the hands of the Templars all because the man had been what they called an Apostate, a rouge mage not a part of any circle. His father had been a shaman, a healer, and had never hurt anyone in his life unless it was to protect someone else. Atreyu had witnessed the murder while hiding in the bush where his father had told him to hide. Seeing his Ada fall… blood gushing from the wounds on his chest…. Atreyu had stupidly ran out of his hiding spot, his hands glowing with a blue light as he attempted to heal his parent. It was the first time Atreyu had ever shown he had magic, triggered by the emotional distress of seeing his father killed.

The Templars had been near enough to see and hear Atreyu and had dragged him from his father’s body before he could escape. And brought him here… and now 10 years later he yearned for freedom so badly…

He was an apprentice mage in the tower, having not gone through his Harrowing as of yet, a test all mages that lived in Circles took to see if they were worthy of being a Circle Mage. Atreyu had no idea just what kind of test the Harrowing was, he just knew those who didn’t pass ended up dead and those who did were forbidden to speak of it. His mentor was the First Enchanter of the tower, a man named Irving. He was a kind man and looked out for all the mages within the tower, favoring the Spirit Healers the most. Atreyu was one of his only two students, the other being Atreyu’s friend Silvia Amell, or Silver as everyone called her.

Atreyu sighed softly as he looked out the high window at the top of the library, this was the closest he could get to being outside, sitting on top of these books shelves and looking out the window. Not that he could see much of anything but feeling the light from the sun, or light of the moon in this case, was better than nothing and reminded him there was more than just the cold drafty rooms of the tower in this mad world.

Sighing again Atreyu looked away from the window and looked around the library. This was his favorite place in the tower and he usually snuck into it by himself at least one night a week if he could get away with it. He liked learning different spells, was quite good at it in fact, he just didn’t like the Templars, the Chantry, or being away from his people.

He had no problems seeing the library in the near darkness, like the rest of his kind Atreyu could all but see in the dark as long as he had a little bit of light. The moon light streaming through the windows was more than enough for him to see with.

_‘What should I look at tonight?’_ Atreyu thought to himself as he jumped back onto the floor, landing silently on his bare feet. He shivered a little at the cold stones then started to walk around. There were many many books in the library and it would take years to read all of them. And this wasn’t even the only library within the Tower, there was a second smaller one upstairs usually used by the Circle Mages.

He wondered over to a part of the library he rarely read books from and started to pull books off the shelves, looking at them then shaking his head and putting them back. When he tugged at one book that was packed in there pretty tight, several of the books around it fell to the floor. Atreyu jumped back and pressed a hand over his chest at the sudden noise. His ears twitched and listened for anyone that might have heard the sound and were running toward the library to investigate. But Atreyu heard nothing and after a few minutes sighed in relief. He huffed and leaned down to pick up the books, placing them back on the shelf.

He nearly missed it, tucked back behind other books on the shelf and kept in the deep shadows. It was only because the moonlight glinted off the silver writing on the front that Atreyu even noticed it. Curious, Atreyu carefully pulled the book out and look it over. His eyes widened and a shiver of excitement ran through him. It was a book written in Elven! A book about shape shifting written by other, older Elves! Atreyu could not believe his luck, he had been interested in shape shifting since he was a child. Many of his tribe knew how to use the gift and he had sat in on a few of his childhood friend Morrigan’s lessons with her mother.

He had hoped for years since he’s magic came to him to learn the art himself but the Templars frowned on the practice and many apprentices were told shape shifting was not possible, only a child’s dream. That they had any books on the subject was amazing! Or that they would leave it out for anyone to find… of course they may not even know what the book was about. Atreyu could easily read, write and speak Elven as it was his native tongue. The only other person in the tower that may know any was an older mage name Finn that Atreyu spent a little time around. The man was fascinated by Elves and was constantly badgering Atreyu to teach him Elven when they were both a lot younger.

Quickly putting the rest of the books back on the shelves, Atreyu raced over to his favorite perching spot and opened the book, eagerly reading the pages. He had to drag himself away from the book sometime later knowing he needed to return to his bed in the apprentice dorms before he was caught out of it. He held tight to the book and silently raced through the halls back to his dorm, keeping an eye out for any Templars that may catch him. But none did and the Templar that guarded the rooms at night was slumped down in the corner sleeping, his snores vibrating in the helmet he wore.

Atreyu crept to the end of his bed and opened his footlocker, hiding the book on shape shifting deep inside with his other treasures. Lying down on the very uncomfortable bed all the apprentices’ slept on, Atreyu very nearly had trouble falling asleep, still very excited about his find. When he finally did sleep, he dreamed of all the different animals he could change into and what he could do with that power. It put a smile on his face that stayed there the rest of the night.

 

********

 

The next day Atreyu found it very hard to pay attention to his lessons, all he wanted to do was study the book so he begin working his way toward his first transformation. But he managed to pull himself together just barely and listen to what Irving had to say. If the old mage noticed that his favorite student was distracted by something the First Enchanter didn’t let on he noticed. And there really wasn’t that much else for Irving to teach Atreyu.

Every mage within the tower leaned toward one branch of magic or another, some even specialized in certain schools such as Spirit Healing or Force Magic though those weren’t learned until after a mage went through their Harrowing. Atreyu favored the school of Primal magic, magic based around four of the elements fire, ice, electricity or stone leaning more toward fire and ice spell trees over the others. Atreyu also was quite good at arcane magic. He also learned the telekinesis tree of the school of spirit spells.

Creation, Entropy and the other branches of Spirit he wasn’t so good at. He could barely case a healing spell and it was the only spell from the school for Creation he could use. The spell was just too… too human for him really and he noticed that it was a problem for the other Elven mages in the tower as well so at least he wasn’t alone in that.

As for the higher specialized schools of magic…. Well Atreyu knew a spell or two of Force Magic taught to him by a Senior Enchanter from Kirkwall that took a liking to him. He thought about becoming a Combat Mage. And let’s not forget Shape Shifting, if he could just learn the skill maybe he could…

“Atreyu, are you alright my boy?” Irving asked as he noticed Atreyu drifting once again.

“What?” Atreyu blinked and looked up at his mentor again. “I’m sorry First Enchanter, I don’t mean to keep drifting off.”

“It’s quite alright,” Irving assured him with a soft smile. He was very fond of Atreyu, as wild as the Elf was he was a delight to teach and Irving couldn’t be prouder of his young student. Which was why he was pushing so hard for Atreyu to undertake his Harrowing, he had already sent in the paperwork for permission for Atreyu to take the test. As always, his counterpart in the Templar Knights, their Commander Greagior, wanted to argue with him about it. Irving was use to Greagior arguing with him about each mage he wanted to go through the Harrowing just because the man loved to rile him up.

“Excuse me, First Enchanter Irving,” a dead sounding woman’s voice said from the doorway. Atreyu shuddered when he heard the woman speak and turned around in the chair he sat on to look. It was a young human woman, only a few years older than Atreyu. Her blue eyes were very blank looking and her brown hair was cropped very short. On her forehead was the sunburst signal of the Chantry, their Cross, that marked her as one of the Tranquil. A mage that had been cut off from the Fade, a realm of dreams that existed on the other side of the Veil, that all mages drew their power from. But being made Tranquil did more than cut a mage off from their mana, it also cut them off from their emotions making it seem like they were dead inside.

As with any mage, the very idea of having to go through the Rite of Tranquility scared the shit out of Atreyu. He couldn’t help but feel it would be like being trapped inside his own head as his body moved about not feeling love, hatred, sorrow… He would rather die.

The Tranquil were used around the Circles as a type of servant. They kept the tower clean, guarded the storage room where some of the magical tools were kept and because they were cut off from their magic they were able to work with Lyruim to make magical items that they sold later on to bring in some money for the tower. Lyruim was dangerous in its raw form to all beings of Thedas except the Tranquil and the Dwarves; they could only use Lyruim because they had no magic to speak of.

“Yes?” Irving asked.

“The Knight Commander is in his office requesting your presence, there is a man here wanting to speak to both of you,” The Tranquil woman said. Irving hummed softly and stroked his beard then nodded.

“Whatever this is it shouldn’t take long if you would wait here child?” Irving asked Atreyu.

“Yeah sure thing,” Atreyu said. Irving gave him a kind smile then stood up leaving the room with the woman. Atreyu sighed in soft relief when the woman was finally gone, the Tranquil gave him the willies! Atreyu tiled his head slightly and listened with his sharp hearing if anyone else was walking toward the room. When he heard no one Atreyu leaned over the candle on Irving’s desk and whispered something very softly over the flame.

The flame sputtered for a moment then flared brightly, part of the flame breaking off and forming into a little humanoid figure that was made completely out of fire. It was a fire fairy, or to be more accurate a sprite. Sprites were ‘baby’ spirits, within the Fade sprites looked like shapeless clouds as they had to ‘grow up’ into full Fade spirit. The sprite Atreyu summoned was a ‘baby’ elemental spirit, one of fire.

There was one class of Mage that he wanted to be and that was a Shaman just like his father and grandfather before him. While he didn’t know what sort of abilities Human Shaman’s had, the Shamans of his people had several different abilities, one of which was the ability to see, speak to and summon spirits of nature and of the Fade but most Shamans tended to stick to nature spirits who existed in the mortal world instead of the Fade. Atreyu being from a line of Shamans had the ability to see spirits, an ability that he kept hidden except for those he was very very close too.

He could also summon sprites, he wasn’t stupid and knew to never summon a full spirit as he didn’t have the control or will power to summon one. Sprites on the other hand were easy and good practice for Shamans in training. His people called the sprites of nature ‘Fairies’ instead of sprites and he was very good at summoning fire fairies, they were great for passing on messages and for keeping a look out.

He hadn’t needed to cast the spell over the flame on the candle, he could be anywhere and summon a nature fairy, but it was easier to pull one from an already working source.

“Guard the door, warn me if you see anyone coming,” Atreyu instructed the fairy softly. The fire fairy gave off little sparks then flew over to the top of the door to keep watch. Atreyu grinned as he stood up and looked around, this was the first chance that he had ever gotten to look around Irving’s office in all the years there. He couldn’t believe Irving had left him alone inside the room, he supposed the man trusted him but really, he should have known Atreyu’s curiosity would lead him to poking around.

Some of the books appeared to be the same ones down in the libraries, he even saw a couple that he had already read before. Some others on the other hand were old books on different types of magic or history, one or two looked like they were written in Ancient Tevene. Atreyu almost wanted to sneak away a book or two to look at more closely but decided it wasn’t worth the risk, he was sure Irving had a very good idea what books should be in his office.

Poking round another table filled with magical trinkets and books, Atreyu was very surprised to find books on Blood Magic.

_‘Why in the world would he have books on blood magic?’_ Atreyu wondered as he looked at the titles careful not to touch the books. Blood magic was one of the two darkest types of magic Mages could use, the other being Necromancy.

Necromancers had the ability to summon the spirits of the dead to either boost their spells or to use in attacks. Some of the more powerful could even control the bodies of the dead. It was a dark ability to be sure but it wasn’t forbidden. Atreyu didn’t think there were any Necromancers in the tower.

Blood Magic on the other hand was completely forbidden under Chantry rule, a Blood Mage used their own blood to power their spells instead of mana, used their blood to attack and even control minds of others. They also consorted with Demons, it wasn’t unusual for some Blood Mages to turn into a demon. They could also use the blood of others in rituals, many of the Magisters of the Tevinter Imperium were known for using Blood Magic. In the past a group of Magisters had used Blood Magic to physically enter the Fade to get to a city that existed within it. There wasn’t anything much known about the city, the Chantry would have everyone believe it was the golden city of their God the Maker, and when the Magisters breeched the city itself the ‘Maker’ cursed then with the Blight and sent them back to the Mortal world, turning the golden city black. Thus started the first ever Blight, a corruption that twisted everything it touched and brought with them the Darkspawn. If it wasn’t for a group of people called the Grey Wardens, their world would be long gone by now.

Atreyu didn’t know how much of the story was true, he didn’t believe in the Maker after all. He respected Andraste of course; all Elves respected the woman who fought so hard to bring down the tyranny of the Imperium and freed their Elven slaves. But Atreyu didn’t believe anything else the Chantry said about her or the so called Maker. And because of small handful of Mages got too big for their britches all Mages were punished for it by the Chantry. You either were a part of a circle or you needed to be killed according to them. It was utter madness and Atreyu hated it.

While he couldn’t think of a single reason as to why his mentor would have books on Blood Magic, Atreyu decided it wasn’t his business, he really didn’t think Irving was any sort of Blood Mage. Maybe the man was keeping them in his office so the younger mages couldn’t read them? He shrugged his shoulders and moved away. In the corner of the room he found at large trunk that was surprisingly unlocked. It was filled to the brim with all sorts of items that Atreyu dug through, at the bottom he found what looked like a grimoire, a hand written book of spells. He opened it to glance at it, finding the hand writing familiar but wasn’t able to fully read it as the fire fairy flew over to him.

“Someone is coming,” it warned. Atreyu cursed softly and put the grimoire back into the trunk and closed it, running over to the chair and dismissing the small fairy with a soft thank you. Irving came back into the room looking pensive with Greagior right behind him.

“And just who will we send to assist the king’s ar-“ Greagoir was saying then stopped when he noticed Atreyu sitting in the chair. “What are you doing here apprentice?” Atreyu glared at Greagoir, his ears flattening against his head like a cat.

“I asked Atreyu to wait for me here Greagoir,” Irving said as he sat down in his chair. “I believe our lessons for today are over my boy, Greagoir and I have important things to discuss.”

“Of course First Enchanter,” Atreyu said as he stood, giving his mentor a respectful bow then quickly leaving the room.

“Irving are you sure it’s wise to leave-“ Atreyu heard Greagoir say before the door closed. Not wanting to be caught eavesdropping by any of the Templars, Atreyu quickly walked down the hallway and headed for the stairs to go to the first floor of the tower. He wondered what the two men had been talking about before they sent him away, something about the king. Atreyu shrugged to himself and put it out of his mind, whatever it was it didn’t have anything to do with him.

Entering the dorm like room where he lived, Atreyu looked around. Other than the Templar that guarded the room during the day it was mostly empty except for a couple of girls chatting by the far wall. Most everyone else were in lessons or doing their own research. The Templar was looking in the girls’ direction, or at least he appeared to be it was so hard to tell with those damn helmets, and paying no attention to Atreyu what so ever. That was fine with Atreyu, he calmly opened his footlocker and removed the book he found during his late night trip into the library hiding it between the pages of another book he had inside. Tucking both books under his arm, Atreyu turned and walked right back out of the dorm room.

 

**********

 

Unlike at night, the library was a bustle of activity during the day. There the scholars running back and forth researching this or that. One of the Enchanters were giving lessons to a group of children apprentices, another was busy teaching one of the older apprentices how to cast a certain spell. A Tranquil or two walked around keeping the library tidy or heading to one of their other duties. A Templar knight was stationed against one wall overlooking a small part of the library. Atreyu wondered just how the Templars kept from getting so bored with guard duty, it had to be dull standing around all day just waiting for one of the mages to stand up and start casting something like blood magic.

Atreyu walked past this all, making sure to make it seem like he wasn’t paying very close attention to where everyone was at or what they were doing. The library had a lot of blind spots were a young Mage could slip out of a Templar’s sight with ease, one of which was a back corner of the room. There was a gap between the wall and one of the bookcases, behind it was a large empty space that many of the younger mages used to hide for the Templars for a while or even to have a little ‘circle quickie’.

Right now the space was free of other people, except for a pair of young Elven children.

“Ello Gary, hiding from the Templars again?” Atreyu asked with a smile as he sat down.

“Bloody Shems,” the Elven child Atreyu addressed muttered with a little scowl. Gary was a young Elven boy maybe around 8 or 9 years old, no one was completely sure which it was. His short shaggy looking hair was a beautiful shade of dark auburn red with lighter highlights of red that could be seen when the light hit it. His large almond shaped eyes were a stunning shade of purple, so dark around the outside that it nearly appeared black and fleck of much lighter purple around the iris.

His name wasn’t really ‘Gary’, it was a name the Templars gave him as they hadn’t liked whatever Gary’s original name had been. They did that sometimes, Atreyu knew his friend Anders name wasn’t really Anders but what it was the man couldn’t remember. He was called ‘Anders’ because he was originally from Andersfels. Gary was a Dalish Elf, or at the very least one of the parents had been a Dalish, the boy had been brought to the tower two years prior. His mother had been a Dalish while his father had been a City Elf who had ran away to join the Dalish. Or at least that was how Gary had always remembered it.

Somehow the Templars had come across Gary and his parents and upon discovering the young Elfling was a mage, had demanded the boy be turned over to the Circle of Magi. Never mind the fact Dalish didn’t follow the same ideas or rules as everyone else, that they could care less about what the Chantry wanted, the Templars and their Chantry believed they had the right to boss everyone else around. From what gossip Atreyu had listened too, Gary’s parents hadn’t taken kindly to the demand and had tried to get their child to safety. Needless to say that hadn’t worked out too well and if the boasting of one of the more racist Templars was to be believed, Gary’s parents had been run through.

Atreyu had known what that was like and took Gary under his wing so to speak, acting a bit like a big brother to the boy. Gary had resisted a bit at first, after all most of the Elves in the tower were weak willed City Elves but then had eagerly latched on when he realized Atreyu was anything but weak willed. It had been a bit of a comfort to Gary to know he had someone to look out for him. Atreyu knew he missed his parents greatly though he couldn’t remember them all that way and missed his clan.

“Yes, I completely agree,” Atreyu said with a serious nod. “Who’s your little friend?”

“I don’t know his name,” Gary said looking down at the young Elf plastered to his side. “The Shems brought him in today.”

The little Elf looked up at Atreyu shyly and Atreyu thought he was the most adorable little thing ever. He couldn’t be more than maybe 4 years old, 5 years at the most but he doubted it. The boy had black hair that fell into the most stunning and pretty eyes, they were a silver color with a ring of dark gray around the outside. There were also tears in those eyes and big fat tears rolling down chubby cheeks.

“Ohhh…” Atreyu cooed as he put his books to the side and held his arms open. “Come here da’len, let me look at you.” The tiny boy looked up at Gary who nodded.

“Atreyu is really nice,” Gary promised. The little boy detached himself from Gary and moved over to Atreyu climbing into his lap. Atreyu wrapped his arms around the Elfling and hummed softly.

“Poor da’len,” Atreyu said softly. “You came in today?” The little Elf nodded shyly, holding up a hand where his pointer finger had been cut for his phylactery. As soon as the mages were brought to the Circle, the Templars cut them and filled a vial full of their blood to be stored. If any of them escaped and turned Apostate, the Templars would use the phylacteries to hunt the mage down using their blood to track them. The fact they would do this to a 4 year old boy was sickening, even more so when they didn’t even let any of the mages heal the cut. They wanted the mages to have a scar to remind them.

“Bastards,” Atreyu muttered as he held the little hand in his own. “Let’s see, I’m not the best at healing but…” Atreyu concentrated and was surrounded by an aura of blue that flowed into the little boy. The boy gave a little gasp and his finger stopped hurting instantly. The gash on his finger healed up until there was nothing left. “There, all better.”

The boy giggled and hugged Atreyu around the neck. Atreyu smiled and patted his back.

“You are welcome, now what’s your name da’len?” Atreyu asked.

“Mummy called me Revas,” the little boy said.

“Revas huh? Did you know that’s Elven for ‘freedom’?” Atreyu asked. Revas shook his head but still grinned. “And where is your mummy now?”

Revas frowned and laid his head on Atreyu’s chest.

“Mummy tried to stop da man from taking me,” Revas said as last. “He pushed his shiny stick into her and red stuff came out. Mummy was lying on the floor and didn’t get up when I called her.”

_‘Damn,’_ Atreyu thought with a sigh. This was become a much too common story, his father killed, both of Gary’s dead and now little Revas’s mother dead as well. Atreyu wondered if they just did this to Elven people or to humans as well. Did the Templars take some sort of sick pleasure in killing Elves? In people? Most did Atreyu was sure, with a scattering of Templars who truly believed they were there to guard and keep the mages safe. A very rare few. “What about your daddy then?”

“I don’ts have one. It just me and mummy,” Revas said then looked at Atreyu. “When is mummy coming to get me?” Atreyu sighed and stroked Revas’s cheek.

“I’m sorry cub, your mummy is gone. She’s gone to the beyond,” Atreyu explained softly.

“Falon'Din is watching over her now,” Gary said with a nod. Atreyu smiled sadly and smoothed Revas’s hair back as little tears built up in those silver eyes again.

“I want my mummy,” Revas said to cry softly, his little shoulders shaking as his sobbed softly against Atreyu’s chest. Atreyu sighed and held Revas close, cursing the Chantry in his mind for breaking up families and taking mothers, and fathers, from their children.

 

**************

 

“There you are, I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” a voice said as a young man slid into the hiding spot, grunting a little as he pushed himself through the tight space. Atreyu looked up at the man from the shape shifting book, his other hand still stroking Revas’s hair. The tiny Elf had cried himself to sleep, crying repeatedly for his mother. It broke Atreyu’s heart to see someone so young like this. He had sent Gary off when the boy’s stomach started to growl, telling his little ‘brother’ to go get something to eat. He tried to do the same with Revas but the Elfling had whined in his sleep and Atreyu decided it was better to sit there with the boy sleeping in his lap. “Have you heard the news?”

“No,” Atreyu said with a shake of his head. “What news Jowan?”

Jowan was Atreyu’s best friend in the tower. They were around the same age but Jowan had been at the tower longer than the Elf by two years. Jowan was a Chasind, a group of Humans that lived within the Korcari Wilds that lived in several different tribes all throughout the Wilds. For the most part, the Chasind tribes were very peaceful but there were also many who were violent to any outsiders and would often enter the main land of Ferelden and attack travelers and nearby villages. Because of this it was assumed that all Chasind tribes were violent. Jowan’s tribe had been one of the former, a very peaceful tribe that had never harmed anyone. But that hadn’t mattered to the Chantry, in response to an attack from another tribe the Chantry had sent a group of Templars on an ‘Exalted March’ on Jowan’s tribe and a couple of others nearby. Jowan had been one of the very few lucky survivors but since he was a mage had been sent to the Tower.

Jowan was a handsome fellow, with shoulder length black hair and eyes a warm dark color eyes that almost looked black. He had a small scruffy beard on his chin and a bit of stubble on his cheeks. He tended to worry a bit, and had a low self esteem toward himself. Jowan actually wasn’t that bad at magic, a bit clumsy at times but the man knew a few good fire spells and if backed into a corner he would set people’s hair on fire. Jowan and Atreyu had met and became friends two weeks after Atreyu was brought to the tower, Jowan had saved Atreyu from two older Human mages who attempted to pick a fight with the Elf. Jowan knew Atreyu better than anyone else within the tower, they were very close.

“Several of the Senior Enchanters are leaving later this week. To head down south to fight with King Cailan’s army,” Jowan said as he sat down beside Atreyu, leaning back against the cool stone wall.

“But why?” Atreyu asked with a frown.

“I don’t know, but the rumors flying around are that they are fighting Darkspawn,” Jowan said.

“Darkspawn? On the surface?” Atreyu said in surprise. “When is the last time a Darkspawn as ever come up from the Deeproads?”

“Not for a very long time I think, at least not in the Ferelden,” Jowan said. “They use to come up in the Wilds sometimes remember?”

“Yes, but I never saw that for myself, just heard about it,” Atreyu said as he leaned his head back. “Hmm… I wonder if that is what Irving and Greagoir were talking about.”

“What do you mean?” Jowan asked.

“Earlier today Irving left his office during our lessons, some man had come to speak to him and Greagoir. They came back talking about sending somebody somewhere and kicked me out before I learned anything else,” Atreyu explained.

“What do you think this means?” Jowan asked.

“Who knows,” Atreyu said with a shrug of his shoulders. “It’s not like we’re going to find out for ourselves.”

“True,” Jowan agreed with a sigh. “So who’s this little fellow?”

“Revas, he was brought in today,” Atreyu said as he looked down at the child in his lap. “Poor thing, they killed his mom in front of him and he doesn’t really understand what they did. He’s scared to death by what’s going on.”

“Another one?” Jowan said with a sigh coming to the same thought as Atreyu when it came to the death of mage’s families. “And he’s so young…”

“You know the Templars and Chantry don’t care how young a mage is, if they can use magic they have to come to the Circle or they are killed,” Atreyu said softly.

“This is getting out of hand,” Jowan said with a shake of his head.

“I know, and if we don’t do something soon, something is going to hit a breaking point. I mean the tension in this tower alone…” Atreyu said trailing off. A lot of the apprentices and younger Circle Mages, ones who hadn’t been brain washed into loyal Chantry lap dogs, were getting restless. They were all tired of being beaten down and being treated as less than Human and Elven.

“Yes but what can we do?” Jowan said. Jowan knew better than Atreyu just how close to a breaking point most everyone in the tower were at. A few days ago the Senior Enchanter Uldred had approached him offering a solution to gaining their freedom at last, one that shocked Jowan to the core. The man had suggested blood magic as being the way to freedom. Had said that it could be the key to helping Jowan into being a better mage, preying on Jowan insecurities about himself. Jowan hadn’t accepted but Uldred had told him to think on the idea and left the offer open. Sad thing was, Jowan was tempted and he wondered if that made him weak…

“Well… I have an idea,” Atreyu said slowly. He handed the book he found to Jowan who took it and looked at curiosity.

“What is it?” Jowan asked as he traced over the letters. “Isn’t this… Elvish?”

“Yes, and it’s not just a list of random Elven words like some of the books on the subject, it’s a book written by the Elvhen,” Atreyu had a note of excitement in his voice. “Jowan this is a book on shape shifting. The ability to change one’s from into another.”

“How did you find it? I wouldn’t think the Templars or Senior Enchanters would leave this someplace where someone could find it,” Jowan said.

“I don’t think they even know what it is, or that it’s here even,” Atreyu said. “I found it last night here in the library, it was hidden behind a bunch of other books.”

“Then what is your idea?” Jowan asked.

“If I can shape shift into something small enough, maybe I can slip under the doors where the phylacteries are kept,” Atreyu said. “If I can destroy them…”

“Then they can’t track us,” Jowan finished with wide excited eyes. “Do you really think it will work?”

“Maybe, I don’t know,” Atreyu said. “But we’ve got to try something. It’s better than sitting around trapped here.” Jowan nodded in agreement. Atreyu’s stomach growled then waking Revas who looked around with a confused look. When he saw Jowan he shyly pressed his face against Atreyu’s chest.

“You haven’t eaten today have you,” Jowan said with a laugh. Atreyu blushed slightly then laughed himself.

“No, I guess I better,” He said as he hid the book. “And I bet my new little friend here is starving as well. Come on da’len, we’re going to get some supper now. Don’t be afraid, Jowan is just a giant goof.”

“Gee, thanks for that,” Jowan said with a roll of his eyes but a smile on his lips that said he didn’t take offence to what Atreyu said. Helping his friend to stand, both teens slipped out of the hiding spot after making sure no Templars were around with the young Elven child in tow. Revas was swept up by Atreyu and placed on his hip as they headed for the dining hall.

 

***********

 

Cullen Rutherford sighed softly and rubbed the back of his neck as he headed toward the apprentice dorms. He had been a part of the Templars at Kinloch Hold for a few weeks now, sent there straight out of his training at the Chantry. For the most part it was easy, the Mages here kept their heads down with only a few standing up for themselves. One of the Circle Mages named Anders seem to be one of the ones that caused the most problems. Not that the young Spirit Healer hurt anyone or anything of the sort, the man just had a habit of escaping the tower and having done so five times already. Another was an Elven apprentice named Atreyu who got a kick out of pranking the Templars in the tower, harmless pranks that most brushed off. It seemed there was no use in punishing the Elven youth as he was the First Enchanter’s favorite and was allowed by the man to get away with the behavior. Cullen knew it drove his commander crazy but he thought the pranks were entertaining, as long as they weren’t on him of course.

Cullen was in for a long night, he knew where was to be at least one Harrowing to take place and a Rite of Tranquility to be preformed. That was, if fact, why he was heading for the dorms. Greagior had ordered him to bring the apprentice Owian to have the Rite preformed on him. It was a bit sad that neither Greagior nor Irving thought Owain was strong enough to go through the Harrowing but Cullen was sure being Tranquil was better than being dead.

As he approached the rooms for the male apprentices, the blond Templar could hear arguing coming from within. Quickly drawing his sword, just in case, Cullen strode in and took stock of what was going on. One of the other Templars had their hands on one of the mages, Cullen did a double take and saw it was Atreyu, with another mage trying to pry the Templar off the Elven youth.

“Hold!” Cullen barked as he walked up and forced his fellow Templar to let go of Atreyu. “Now what is going on here?”

“This knife-ear,” the Templar started to say.

“Who are you calling knife-ear shem!?” Atreyu growled in a raspy voice, rubbing at his abused neck. “I didn’t do a single thing to you to justify you-“

“Look here you little-“ The Templar turned back toward Atreyu but was hauled back by Cullen.

“One at a time!” Cullen shouted. He turned to Atreyu, one hand still on the other knight, and nodded. “You first.”

“Revas is scared by everything that’s going on and doesn’t want to be alone so I told him he could sleep with me tonight,” Atreyu said still rubbing his neck, Cullen wouldn’t be surprised if there was a bruise there by morning.

“Revas?” Cullen asked. Atreyu nodded toward the beds and Cullen turned, surprised to see a tiny Elven child sitting on a bottom bunk looking around with wide terrified tear filled eyes. _‘Maker’s breath, they can be that young here?’_ He thought to himself.

“And I told the Elf all apprentices have to sleep in their own beds,” The Templar that had been fighting with Atreyu said.

“He’s four years old!” Atreyu snapped. “He doesn’t have any idea what is going on, you heartless bastards already murder his mother in fro-“

“Enough!” Cullen shouted. Atreyu’s mouth snapped closed with an audible click. Cullen breathed deeply and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Go and get the child ready for bed and go to sleep, I do not see any problem with him sleeping in your bed for a night or two,” he said to Atreyu.

“Ma serannas,” Atreyu said then turned away, picking Revas up and headed toward the wash area all the apprentices in the area shared.

“But ser!” The Templar protested. Cullen leveled him a flat glare.

“He’s right, the child is too young to understand and clearly needs the comfort,” Cullen said firmly. “Go back to your duty.”

“Yes ser,” The Templar said then left the dorm. Cullen sighed then looked out over the rest of the door, spotting the whole reason he came in by the far wall.

“Apprentice Owain, follow me,” Cullen said with a wave of his hand. Owain gulped and looked around at the others then followed Cullen out.

 

***********

 

The following week was a bustle of activity around the tower, the Senior Enchanters were arranging for their students to be taught by the younger Enchanters in the tower and were having several potions brewed for the upcoming battles.

The apprentices had also lost two of their numbers, Owain had joined the ranks of the Tranquil while another had been killed when she failed her Harrowing. Jowan mentioned that he heard it took three Templars to take the abomination the mage turned into down.

Revas had taken to following Atreyu around, Irving chuckling in amusement as the tiny Elven boy walked into his office and promptly climbed into Atreyu’s lap as soon as the older Elf sat down. Atreyu at least had the good grace to look a little embarrassed though amusement shined through his crystal blue eyes.

“I see you have a little shadow,” Irving said with a kind smile toward the boy.

“I’m sorry First Enchanter, I thought he had stayed with the other children,” Atreyu said not sounding all that sorry.

“It’s quite alright child,” Irving said. “He’s too young to really begin lessons as it is, I doubt he will be much of a bother. I’m afraid our lessons will have to be cut short this week, with the preparations going on.”

“Am I to study on my own then?” Atreyu asked.

“Yes, that will be fine. And may I suggest that perhaps you should read up on the Fade?” Irving said with a wink and a chuckle. “I’m sure you would find it fascinating.”

“Uh yeah, I’m sure I will,” Atreyu said wondering if Irving had just given him a hint at something. The Fade? He had rumors that the Harrowing test had to do with the Fade somehow, was Irving telling him he might be taking his Harrowing soon? If so, Atreyu really needed to buckle down and learn the Shape Shifting skill, if he took the Harrowing and passed, his phylactery would be sent away to Denerim and he would have no chance of escaping that way. “Is that all First Enchanter?”

“Yes yes, you may go my boy,” Irving said with a smile. He watched Atreyu stand up, settling the Elven child on his hip and walk out of the office. Once Atreyu was out of sight, he hurried down the hallway, he had to master this magic soon or the plan would fall apart!


	2. Chapter 2

Where Fate Takes Us

Author: USA Tiger

Disclaimer: Dragon Age is property of BioWare

Thankies to me best minion Asilyessam for betaing/proof reading behind me.

 

Chapter 2

 

According to the book, and to what he could remember from lessons he sat in on as a young child, there was a lot more to shape shifting than just wanting to become an animal. It wasn’t enough to simply say ‘I want to be a cat’ or ‘dog’, it was more than that. One had to think like an animal, think about how the animals looked and moved and behaved.

So Atreyu had taken to studying Mr. Wiggums. Mr. Wiggums was one of the towers mousers, it technically didn’t have a name at least not an official one, but one of Atreyu’s friends Anders who adored cats had bonded with the critter and given it the name. Atreyu wondered just why in the void Anders thought ‘Mr. Wiggums’ was a good name for anything much less a cat.

Fear and desperation were also great motivators in learning Atreyu found, every night he was worried than a Templar was come and fetch him for his Harrowing. In the past Atreyu would have welcomed a chance at the Harrowing, if only to get the hell out of the apprentice dorms and into one of the rooms upstairs. Still a prison but at least a little bit more comfortable one. But with the key to his and the other’s freedom in his hands, the last thing he wanted now was to go through the Harrowing and passing, that meant his phylactery would be sent out of the tower once he was an official circle mage.

So it was, one biting chilly morning, when Atreyu finally made the break through and shifted into a cat.

“Kitty!” Revas said clapping his hands in excitement.

“Shhh Revas, you don’t want us to be caught do you?” a girl said, holding a finger up to her lips. The girl was Silvia Amell, Silver to everyone in the tower, and another of Atreyu’s friends. Silver was a year or so younger than Atreyu with long black hair and bright green eyes. Originally from Kirkwall, Silver came from a long line of mages. She came to the tower when Atreyu was 11 after her mother had been killed by bandits while they were traveling. They had come from the Free Marches to visit a favorite cousin of her mother until disaster struck and Silver was sent here when the Chantry she was sent to discovered she was a mage. The girl was sweet and most everyone in the tower loved her.

Revas’s silver colored eyes became wide and he clamped his hands over his mouth.

“What’s right, we need to be quiet,” Silver whispered. “But you do make a pretty kitty-cat Atreyu.” She added as she glanced over at Atreyu the cat. Atreyu had turned into a short hair cat with silvery white fur, the same shade as his natural hair color.

“I can’t believe you really did it,” Jowan said in awe as he watched Atreyu move around in his new body. Atreyu glanced over at his best friend and seemed to smirk. Mr. Wiggums, who was also in the space with them, came over to sniff the strange new cat then dismissed Atreyu as a non-threat as he went back to his spot in the sunlight.

Atreyu couldn’t believe all the senses a cat had! The colors all around him were different, he could smell things he couldn’t before, he could ear even better than he could as an Elf. And Elves had some pretty damn good hearing. Moving around took a bit to get use too, Atreyu had to remember that he had to move around on four paws instead of two feet. But once he did, he was soon walking, running and leaping like he always had that form.

“That is really amazing,” Silver said in awe. She giggled as Atreyu walked over and started to rub up against her then rubbed his face against Revas’s, sending the 4 year old into a mad fit of giggles.

“Soft,” he said as he touched his favorite person in the tower fur.

“He is, isn’t he,” Silver agreed. Atreyu looked a bit startled as he started to purr, his whole body rumbling with the sound. After a few second the Elf pulled away and let out of the transformation, turning back into his normal form.

“What was it like?” Jowan asked as soon as Atreyu was back to normal. Atreyu shook his head and grinned.

“It was a rush,” he said. “I have been dreaming about doing that since I was a small child, to finally be able to shape shift…” he closed his crystal blue eyes, filled with emotions as he finally achieved a dream of his when he was still free from this blasted tower. He remembered his grandfather turning into a beautiful white wolf, his father into a playful raven. A tear gathered at the corner of his eye as he thought of his family and slid down his cheek.

“No cry ‘treyu,” Revas said as he climbed into Atreyu’s lap and touched his wet cheek. Atreyu’s eyes opened and he gave the child a soft smile.

“Alright yes, no crying,” he agreed softly then looked at his friends. “It was amazing. Cats can see and hear so differently, it was odd walking on all fours but once I got use to it, it was fun.”

“So you can really do this then? Get into the room with our phylacteries?” Jowan asked.

“I think so, that’s my plan anyway,” Atreyu said with a nod. “But not as a cat, too large to get under the doors.”

“What about a mouse then?” Silver asked. “That should be small enough.”

“Yeah, but I’m kinda afraid of the tower cats coming after me,” Atreyu said.

“Spider?” Jowan suggested then flinched back at the glare Atreyu gave him at daring to suggest turning into a spider. Atreyu was terrified of spiders, the little normal ones at least. The giant sized spiders didn’t bother him as much, but only because they were too big to do something like crawl into his ear. “Alright alright, sorry. No spiders.”

“Oh!” Silver gasped and clapped her hands together. “What about a snake?”

“Snake?” The boys asked at the same time. Silver nodded and grinned.

“You know, like that ones that come up from the lake when it gets warm out? This is about the time of year that they start coming into the castle,” Silver said. Atreyu and Jowan looked at each other considering her words.

“It’s possible,” Atreyu said. “Either that or the mouse like she suggested.”

“Do you think you can learn how to turn into a snake that quickly?” Jowan asked. Atreyu nodded and ran his fingers through Revas’s hair, smoothing the soft strands.

“Now that I know what the magic feels like and how it works I will be able to take on different forms,” he said.

“Ohhh this is so exciting,” Silver gushed happily. “It’ll be so nice to be able to be outside again, out in the sunlight.”

“So when do we do this?” Jowan asked, feeling better and better about this idea now that he had seen Atreyu shape shift. He was so glad he decided not to study blood magic now, he wouldn’t need it now. Atreyu considered the question, looking up at the skylight in the ceiling.

“At night,” he said at last. “Most of the higher up Templars are asleep at that time. And those who aren’t patrol the floors with the circle mages. They send the new Templars to guard the first floor most of the time, or those who are being punished. And almost every guard on the floor ends up falling asleep after a while because they are so bored.”

“So… who do we free? Or tell even?” Jowan asked next. Atreyu hummed at that and ran his fingers through Revae’s hair again, finding it soothing.

“Anders for sure,” Silver said. “Tell I mean since he’s a mage, his phylactery won’t be here.”

“He’ll certainly jump at the chance,” Atreyu agreed. “The kids, all of them if we can manage it, before the Templars and the Chantry ruin them for good.”

“Ohhh, don’t tell Keili,” Silver said. “I found her praying again in the chapel, for the Maker to forgive her for being a mage.” Atreyu sneered and snorted in disgust, to say he didn’t like people like Keili was an understatement. It didn’t matter what gods you believed in, magic was a gift not a curse.

“If you two can tell Anders, and spread the word to those who won’t tell on us and want freedom,” Atreyu said. “Then I can work out how to get into the storage room.”

“Leave it to us,” Silver said with a grin. “Remember Revas, this is a secret, you can’t tell anyone.”

“I promise,” Revas said with a bright sunny smile.

“Come on, we need to appear at dinner or the Templars will start looking for us,” Jowan said as he got up off the floor then helped Silver up. Atreyu stood with Revas on his hip, the four year old Elfling clinging to Atreyu. Leading the way, Atreyu slipped out of their hiding spot with Silver and Jowan close behind.

 

********

 

Night fell over the tower once again, casting the halls and chambers in shadows. Atreyu lay on his bed feigning sleep, keeping his eyes closed so the low torch light did not reflect off his eyes and give off the glow that would give away that he was awake. Instead he used his ears to track the Templar guard in the room. He listened to the man’s breathing, to the sound of settling bulky armor as the Templar leaned back against the wall. Soon the man’s breathing was even in sleep with little snores escaping every now and then.

Slowly opening his eyes, Atreyu looked over at the guard who was slumped against the wall sleeping. Atreyu had to give the Templar’s some credit, they were good at sleeping while standing up. Quietly slipping out of his bed, Atreyu started to slowly walk toward the door. He felt a hand brush against his leg as he moved and looked down, seeing Jowan awake as he was. He felt many of the mages in the room were awake, word had gotten around to those who could be trusted that there would be an attempt to free them that night and all were waiting to see what happen.

Jowan looked up at Atreyu and mouthed ‘good luck’ to his friend. Atreyu nodded and continued his way out of the dorm. In the hallway Atreyu checked for patrolling Templars, keeping his eyes and ears open. When he heard no one coming, the teen gathered his mana to him and concentrated on being a snake. How a snake looked, how it moved, how it acted. Almost instantly Atreyu felt himself shrinking, losing his arms and legs, lying on his belly on the cool stone floor. It was certainly different to be a snake than it was to be a cat he noticed fight away. His tongue flitted out tasting the air and he could feel the vibrations of the tower under his scales.

Atreyu allowed himself to move on instinct to slither across the floor, finding himself able to tell where somebody was just by the heat they gave off.

 _‘Fascinating,’_ he thought as he glided into large ante-chamber before the library. On the other side of the room were a set of stairs and a door that lead down into the basement level of the tower. A templar was leaning against the wall in a bored fashion, not quite asleep just yet but looked to be on the edge of it. The Templar never even noticed the snake that slither past him and down the stairs, then slipping under the door into the hallways beyond.

The next door Atreyu stopped in front of and flick his tongue out at it, he could see the heat from the ward on the door. It was a lot heat that only covered the wooden planks on the door itself. Atreyu had heard of the door, called the Victims Door by the Chantry, each plank for one of the original Templars. The mage snorted mentally, victims his ass. The Templars were no victims, mages were. They were treated even worse that non-mage Elves just for being a mage all because a handful of mages from Tevinter decided it was a good idea to enter the Fade to storm the fabled ‘Golden City of the Maker’ only to curse the city and bring back the first Blight. This resulted in the Chantry deciding to punish all mages even though most mages were peaceful and just wanted to live their lives. The Chantry decided to conveniently forget that their beloved ‘Bride of the Maker’ Andreste had been a mage as well.

Mentally sighing and shaking his head, Atreyu easily slipped in under the crack between the door and the floor, not stopped by the ward as it only covered the door itself. The door to the repository was easy enough to find, everyone knew it was the first door after the Victims Door. Unlike the Victims Door, there was no heat that Atreyu could read off the door yet he could feel something in the air that made his skin crawl like Magebane. Slithering closer, Atreyu could just make out the runes around the door, runes that stopped magic from being cast around the area of the door.

 _‘That would explain why no one has ever been able to just break down the door with magic, no one would be able to cast anything near the door,’_ Atreyu thought to himself. _‘Yet I’m right in front of it and it hasn’t forced me back into my real form… ah well I suppose now that I’m in the form, no active magic is being cast. If I tried to turn back into my true self I suppose the runes would stop me.’_ It could be the only reason why Atreyu’s shape hadn’t been forced back to normal and he was grateful for that otherwise this wouldn’t work. Looking at the door again, Atreyu tried to find a way under. It took a moment to spot it but there was a gap in the wood along the bottom that was just large enough for Atreyu’s small snake form to slide through.

The room on the other side of the door was _cold_. Instantly Atreyu could feel his body starting to become sluggish and he quickly moved far away enough from the door that he couldn’t feel the runes anymore and shifted back into his Elven from.

“Burrr,” he said with a shiver and rubbing his arms. The Magestones on the wall provided just enough light for the Elf to see by. Atreyu was in awe of the sight before him, rows and rows of shelves and tables were filled with phylacteries of all shapes and sizes. He started searching for his own phylactery right away, feeling that he was due a little reward of have his vial smashed first for all his hard work to get this far. It took a few minutes but Atreyu soon figured out the system set up for the phylacteries, the younger mages were in the lower part of the room furthest away from the door while those who had been in the tower longer were closer to the door itself. It only took a few minutes for Atreyu to find his on a shelf almost right next to the door. He wondered if it had been placed there since he Harrowing might have been coming soon so they could easily destroy it if he failed or have it moved to Denerim should he pass.

But that didn’t matter now as Atreyu slowly picked up his phylactery with his heart pounding. His name was etched on the front with runes along the side to keep the blood in the glass container fresh. He couldn’t believe he was holding his phylactery; it was almost like a dream. Then Atreyu opened his hand and let the vial fall to the floor, the action almost seeming to be in slow motion as the vial fell down to the stone floor. As the phylactery struck the hard stone, it cracked and shattered leaving broken glass and blood seeping into the stone.

A startled laugh escaped Atreyu as he looked down at the destroyed remains of his phylactery. He had done it, he was _free_ of the only shackle keeping him chained to the Chantry and the tower. He was free, free, free! He was free to leave the tower at last, free to go home to his village, free to return to his family!

“I’m _free,_ ” he whispered then laughed in glee. He had done it! His plan had worked! Now all he had to do was destroy the rest of the phylacteries and they could all flee the tower to freedom. As Atreyu stood looking at the rest of the phylacteries trying to decide where he should start and how best to destroy the rest, his ears twitched as he head a sound behind him. Moving quickly, Atreyu dodged to the side just in time to avoid the blade that had been aimed at his head. The sword and the Sentinel holding it crashed into one of the tables sending splinters of wood and phylacteries flying everywhere. The vials of blood smashed open as soon as they landed, letting out the blood within.

Atreyu paid little mind to all this as his full attention was set on the second Sentinel and the Sentinel Guardian walking up the stairs.

“Should have known it wouldn’t be that easy,” he muttered to himself as he dodged again and blasted one Sentinel with a fire ball to the face. Casting magic without a foci staff or stone was a lot harder do as spells were cast much slower. Ducking between two of the Sentinels, Atreyu watched as one hit the other, sending the second Sentinel flying into the shelves on the wall destroying even more of the phylacteries. Getting an idea in mind, Atreyu started to lead the Sentinels around, attempting to get them to hit the vials of blood or each other with his own spells tossed in for good measure.

“Ha! Take that!” Atreyu taunted, spinning out of the way of the Sentinel Guardian at the last second and letting it hit one of the other Sentinels. The strike decapitated the Sentinel, sending the suit of armor to the ground. “One down, two to go.” Atreyu snatched the downed Sentinel’s sword for extra protection and darted around behind one to jab at its back. “Catch me if you can!”

Atreyu leaped over the railing to the lower part of the storage room, using an arcane bolt to attack the approaching Sentinel’s. The Elf dodged around one Sentinel as it tried to hit him, sticking a foot out to trip it and send it crashing into a table full of phylacteries. He then followed this up with a powerful freezing spell on the Guardian freezing it in place. In the meantime the other Sentinel had recovered from its fall and was attempting to attack Atreyu from behind again. Atreyu spun at the last second to get behind the Sentinel and stab it in the back. He them planted his foot into the back of the enchanted armor and shoved it at the frozen Guardian, shattering it on impact. Not giving the last Sentinel time to recover, Atreyu quickly cut off its head.

“That worked out better than I thought it would,” he mused as he looked around. Most of the phylacteries had been destroyed in the fight. With any luck, Greagior and Irving would believe the Sentinels had gone mad and had destroyed the room on their own. Or at least they would be scratching their heads wondering what the hell happened.

Using the sword, Atreyu quickly smashed any remaining vials that had somehow escaped the fight. He then doubled, tripled check that all of the phylacteries were destroyed and let out a gleeful laugh as he looked at the mess.

“Ohhhh Greagior and the Chantry are not going to be happy,” he said as he tossed the sword back with the Sentinels. Careful to avoid all the blood and glass on the floor, Atreyu shape shifted into his new snake form, leaving the same way he came in making sure to move quickly so the cold in the room wouldn’t make him sluggish. Once outside the room Atreyu paused in the shadows to make sure no one had come running and once he was sure the coast was clear Atreyu slid under the Victims Door then out of the hall completely.

Slithering his way up the short set of stairs, Atreyu waited again to see if anyone was coming. Amazingly, it seemed like no one had heard his battle with the Sentinels or the damage that had been caused during the fight. The three doors and walls of stones had seemingly blocked all sound coming from the lower chambers. The Templar on guard duty was sitting on the ground slumped over, his helmet rattling with his snore, Atreyu noticed in amusement as he slithered past quickly.

Back in the hallway where he had originally transformed, Atreyu changed back after checking he was alone and slipped into the dorm. Checking the guard to make sure the Templar was still sleeping, Atreyu rushed over to Jowan’s bed.

“Jowan get up, we need to get a move on,” he hissed in the other’s ear. Jowan instantly sat up, clutching Atreyu’s arm.

“You did it?” He asked.

“Yes, all the phylacteries are destroyed,” Atreyu confirmed. That seem to be all the encouragement other’s awake in the room needed, instantly other apprentice mages were up and moving around.

“Someone cast a sleep spell on that Templar,” Atreyu heard one boy said.

“Go tell the girls to get ready,” another said. A couple of mages who were good at Entropy and Creation schools of magic worked on putting not only the Templar but any mages in the room who would work against them under sleep spells and glyph of paralysis. Their work done here, the mages left the room to repeat the process in the girls’ dorm and any Templar still on their level.

“Seems I wasn’t the only one planning,” Atreyu said with a laugh.

“I think everyone once has had dreams of what they would do if they had the chance to escape,” Jowan pointed out. “I certainly fantasized about setting more than a few of them on fire.”

Atreyu laughed softly knowing Jowan was serious then squeaked loudly as he was picked up off the floor in a tight hug.

“You did it!” Anders said happily as he swept Atreyu up. Anders was a full circle mage and a spirit healer who had been at the tower longer than any of them as he was a few years older. He mostly acted as a big brother to Atreyu, Jowan and Silver, not that he hadn’t slept with each of them at some point. He was also a lover of cats.

“Anders, what are you doing in here?” Atreyu asked in surprise.

“Well after Silver told me your plan, I thought it would be safer if I sneaked down and waited here instead having one of you come and fetch me,” Anders said as he let Atreyu down. Anders was famous in the tower for having escaped several times, not that he stayed free of course. Each time the Templars had hunted him down with his phylactery.

“Well then I’m glad to see you here already,” Atreyu said with a soft laugh. Around them the mages were gathering their few possessions while others were rousing the children from their sleep. A few seconds later Atreyu felt little arms wrap around his legs. “There you are da’len,” he said with a smile as he leaned down and picked up Revas.

“We leave now?” the tiny Elf asked.

“Yes, we’re going to leave very soon,” Atreyu agreed then turned to his two friends. “I suggest grabbing whatever you can that we can sell outside of the tower, we’re going to need money.”

“On it,” Anders said as he walked over to the Templar and started striping the man of anything that couple be sold, placing it all in a hold all bag he snatched from the lower levels last time he had to help down there. Atreyu put Revas on his bed and opened his foot locker, quickly gathers his flute and the book on shape shifting. His amber amulet was already around his neck.

“Atreyu Atreyu, I’m ready to go,” Gary said as he ran over, all but bouncing in excitement.

“So are we,” Atreyu said as he pushed a few things he could maybe sell into his own hold all bag given to him by Anders.

“Can you take me back to my clan?” Gary asked.

“I can take you back to _a_ Dalish clan da’len,” Atreyu said. “As I’m as clueless as you are who and where your clan is. Maybe whichever one we find will be able to help.”

“Yeah ok, that’s fine,” Gary agreed. Atreyu smiled and picked up Revas again, heading to the door with Gary on his heels.

“I found some weapons to sell,” Jowan said as he joined them.

“Atreyu! Jowan!” Silver called as she rushed over to their side. “Oh this is so exciting.”

“It is, but let’s go before the Templars get wise to what’s going on,” Atreyu said. Jowan and Silver quickly agreed, running to the door with Gary to leave. Two Templars were slumped over on the ground knocked out and the doors wide open.

“I wasn’t able to find much on short notice,” Anders said as he caught up to them. “But some of this stuff should catch a few coins.”

“I think anything would help at this point,” Jowan said as they entered the cave that housed the docks. The magelights on the cavern walls cast a low light around the area. Many of their fellow mages were loading the younger ones into the boats docked here. Atreyu followed their example and put Revas in a boat, Gary quickly climbing in beside the smaller Elf.

“Just sit here Revas, I’m going to be swimming right next to the boat ok?” Atreyu said soothingly petting the boy’s hair as he fussed a little. “Be brave.”

“Ok,” Revas said as he settled down. Two older mages climbed in and started rowing the boat out, many of the other apprentices already in the water swimming to land, those who could swim anyway.

“This is it,” Silver whispered in excitement and a little wiggle then dove into the water.

“I hope we know what we’re doing,” Jowan muttered as he jumped in after her. Atreyu laughed and dove in as well, swimming next to the boy with the kids as he promised.

“Goodbye Kinloch Hold,” Anders said with a grin as he jumped in after his friends.

The trip across the lake seem to last forever, the water was freezing and Atreyu’s limbs felt so heavy and tried by the time they made it to the docks he wasn’t sure if he could keep moving. His robes clung to his skin as did his hair that had come undone from the braid he usually kept it back in. He was on his hands and knees panting, Jowan on one side and Silver on the other as they tried to recover from their swim.

“Oh come on, it wasn’t that bad,” Anders said as he watched them.

“You’ve… done this sort of thing… more times than us…” Atreyu pointed out. Only one other time had he ever swam the lake and that was the first year he lived in the tower when he and Jowan had escaped with Anders, never until now had they tried again.

“Treyu!” Revas said as he climbed out of the boat and ran over to the teen. Atreyu wrapped his arms around the tiny boy, who didn’t seem to mind he was getting wet, and watched as the other mages who made it to the shore were already scattering like rats. It didn’t seem to be as many as before and Atreyu hoped no one had drowned in the lake.

“We need to leave,” Jowan said as he stood up with a groan.

“Right,” Atreyu said as he stood as well, Revas on a hip. Gary had rejoined him and was holding onto Atreyu’s other hand while Anders helped Silver up.

“Where do we go?” The only female of the group asked.

“I don’t know yet, but somewhere far away from the tower would be good,” Atreyu said as he started walking. Jowan started to follow then stopped looking back at the tower one last time. A small tear escaped from the corner of one dark eye and he sighed.

“I’m sorry Lily,” he whispered. He had thought he might take her with them but things had moved so fast and there had been no way he could sneak up to get her without alerting the other people from the Chantry. His chance with any sort of life with her was ending before it even started.

“Jowan!” Atreyu called from ahead.

“Yes, I’m coming,” Jowan said as he turned away and ran after his friends.

 

********************

 

“Excuse me sir, I have come to deliver a message,” the dead sounding voice of one of the Tranquil said from the doorway. Greagior sighed in annoyance, he hadn’t even had breakfast yet or his morning ale and already something had come up that needed his attention.

“Yes, what is it?” He snapped as he finished putting on his Templar armor.

“The apprentice mages are missing,” the Tranquil woman said. Greagior’s eyes widen and his head snapped up to look at the messenger.

“What!?” He all but screamed.

“The apprentice mages are missing,” the woman said again in that dull, dead tone. Greagior cursed and grabbed his sword, pushing past the Tranquil servant and ran for the door that led to the lower floors, calling to any awake Templars to join him.

On the next floor he was joined by the First Enchanter Irving.

“I see you received the same message I did,” Irving said as he walked quickly by his Templar counterpart’s side. Greagior just growled and tossed open the doors to the next room. Side by side, Greagior and Irving entered the first dorm room and stopped dead in their tracks.

“Maker’s breath,” Greagior said as he looked around. It seemed that the Tranquil woman’s message was not completely true, there were a small handful of apprentice mages still in the tower all huddled together by one wall under the guard of two Templars. But all the rest… yes they were gone. “Has the rest of the tower been checked? Are all the other mages accounted for?”

“Yes sir,” Cullen said as he stood behind his commander. “All areas have been checked for the missing mages but they are nowhere to be found. All circle mages are accounted for…. Except Anders.”

“Sir, all of the boats from the dock are missing,” another Templar knight said as he joined them. Greagior ground his teeth and spun on his heel.

“Never in all these years has there been such a large scale escape,” He said to Irving in harsh tone.

“Yes, I am surprised as you are Greagior,” Irving agreed in a much calmer tone.

“We will need to send as many Templars as possible after the escaped mages, send word to the Chantry that more Templars are needed,” Greagior ordered one of his men as they past. Greagior, Irving and a small troop of Templars entered the basement levels of the tower and opened the Victims Door. Each drawing a key out of a pocket, Irving and Greagior unlocked the door to the phylactery storage room and stopped dead in their tracks.

“Maker….” Irving said in shock as he looked around. The floor was covered in glass and spilt blood.

“The phylacteries…” Greagior said in horror. He stepped in further, checking to see if any vials were still intact… but no, he didn’t see any.

“Greagior,” Irving called. Greagior turned and saw Irving standing over one of the Sentinels. A quick check of the room found the other two, all three destroyed. There were bits of glass and blood sticking to their armor and weapons.

“The Sentinels did this?” Greagior asked in disbelief. “No, that is impossible. They had to have been fighting who ever broken into here.”

“And just how did someone break in?” Irving asked, ignoring the shocked gasps of the other Templars as they entered the storage room. “The door was locked and we are the only two people within the tower with the keys to the door. There doesn’t seem to be any other opening into the room.” Greagior huffed in anger and annoyance, the blasted First Enchanter was correct of course. “And who would even be able to pull this sort of thing off?”

“…. I noticed that your beloved student wasn’t among those who remained,” Greagior pointed out quickly. “If I discover that he is behind this, nothing will stop me from either performing the Rite of Tranquility or sending that blasted Elf to Aeonar!”

“Clam yourself Greagior,” Irving said in a soothing tone. “I am sure Atreyu had nothing to do with this. I do not believe any of the mages in the tower had anything to do with this.”

“What about that Jowan boy? The rumors that he is a blood mage,” Greagior said latching onto another idea. “He could have-“

“How?” Irving interrupted the other man. “The runes would have stopped any magic that was being cast near the door, including blood magic. No Greagior, we must accept facts, something went wrong in the magic on the Sentinels and they destroyed the phylacteries.”

“Then just how did the apprentices know that we would be unable to track them when they escaped?” Greagior pointed out. Irving frowned then shook his head.

“That I do not know,” he admitted. Greagior groaned and rubbed his forehead. It would take weeks to recapture all of the mages that escaped, and it was possible that not all of them would be found as they had no way to track them now.

“Well Anders will be easy to recapture at least,” a woman’s voice said from the doorway. “I’ll even lead the party myself if it pleases you commander.” The woman’s voice was just a touch smug and Greagior sighed mentally. Rylock was one of the few women within the ranks of the Templars and one of only a hand full at the tower itself. She was good, there was no doubt about that. She was everything a Templar should aspire to be and she was more often than not the one to bring back Anders each time the mage escaped. Rylock seemed to take joy out of it even.

”No Lieutenant,” Greagior said as he turned to face Rylock and Cullen who were both standing in the doorway. “Our concern right now are the mages whose phylacteries have been destroyed, recapturing them before they can do any damage is our first priority. The mage Anders can wait.”

“But… but sir-“ Rylock tried to protest.

“That is an order Lieutenant,” Greagior snapped. “Anders will be recaptured but he is not a first priority, he had proven in the past to be mostly harmless and therefore not as big of a concern. We have his phylactery and when the time is right, only then will be you are allowed to lead the hunt for it. If by some miracle he is found while searching for the others then by all means take him in but you are _not_ to go searching for him do I make myself clear!”

“Yes Commander,” Rylock said in a slightly sulky tone.

“Yes Commander,” Cullen said at the same time. Greagior sighed and rubbed his forehead, he knew he was going to be having a constant headache for months over this.

“Send word to the Chantry informing them what has happened here,” he said. “And that we are requesting any Templars that can be spared to assist in the hunt. You are both dismissed.” Rylock and Cullen saluted then turned, both leaving the store room.

 

************

 

It was a mad dash to get as far away from the tower as possible. It was made all the harder with wet clothing sticking to their still until they finally stopped outside of a farm house where some wash that been left out to dry on a line. Why it had been left out overnight was anyone’s guess but Atreyu and Jowan didn’t question their continued luck and stole some of the clothing off the line. Robes were dropped to the ground in a heap and the escaped mages’ dressed in the _borrowed_ clothing.

“It’ll help us hide better at least,” Atreyu mused as he tore off a strip of his former robe to make into a belt, the pants were a little large on him. “They’ll be looking for people wearing robes. If we’re careful, they won’t pay much attention to us.” His friends only gave a tired mumbled agreement. It was the wee hours of the morning before they found a cave to hide in, both children being carried by the older mages. It wasn’t comfortable but it was empty and dry and most importantly well hidden in the woods. The group ended up huddled together at the back of the cave sharing body heat as they fell into exhausted sleep.

It was well into the afternoon before anyone really woke up, all tummies growling in hunger. Once again it was Atreyu and Jowan who went looking for something to eat leaving Anders and Silver in the cave to watch Gary and Revas, both having some experience in finding edible food from their childhoods in the Wilds. When they came back it was with nuts and berries.

“Not the most filling thing in the world,” Atreyu said as they sat around and ate.

“It’s better than what they fed up in the tower,” Silver said.

“So what are our plans now?” Jowan asked.

“Well… we need to get someplace far away of course and the Wilds might be our best bet. My tribe is there, they’ll gladly take us in,” Atreyu suggested. “And there is a Dalish Clan that lives there, they can hopefully assist Gary in finding his clan.”

“I hate that name,” Gary said with a scowl. “I hate it. That is not my name. That is the name those shems insisted on calling me.”

“Well… what do we call you then?” Atreyu asked. Gary bowed his head.

“I… I don’t know…” he whispered in shame. He couldn’t remember his name, the name his parents had given him it had been so long since heard it. The Templars and their Chantry made him forget. He looked up at the older elf shyly. “Can… can you give me a better name Atreyu. Something that isn’t as horrible as… Gary?” His nose wrinkled in distaste. Atreyu chuckled and reached over to ruffle the younger Elf’s hair.

“Alright cub, just give me a bit of time to think about it hmm?” He said. Gary nodded happily.

“So that’s the plan then? Try to get down south to the Wilds?” Jowan asked.

“I can’t…” Anders said softly. “I can’t go with you all.”

“What?”  
“Anders no! We need to stick together?”  
“Why?” Jowan, Silver and Atreyu asked at the same time. Gary and Revas watched with wide eyes.

“Because… they still have my phylactery. Sooner or later, they’re going to send someone after me. I can’t stay here with you, I’ll just end up leading the Templars straight to you,” Anders said as he stood. “I could end up leading them to your people Atreyu! So no… I don’t want to leave you guys but I have to, to protect all of you.”

“Damn it all but he’s right,” Atreyu said angrily. “But Anders… will you be alright?”

“Sure, it’s not like this is the first time I’ve escaped. I have gotten a little better each time,” Anders tried to joke then looked both sad and serious. “I… I just want to keep you three and the little one’s safe. I may always been on the run, I might end up back in that tower. But you guys are free now, and I want you to stay that way. So… I’m going to leave. They should be busy a while trying to figure out what to do, so maybe I’ll have a good head start on the Templars.”

“Oh Andy,” Silver got up and hugged Anders’s tight. “Be careful. We’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too Sil,” Anders said hugging her back. “I… who knows… maybe we’ll all be together again someday without having to worry about the Templars and the Chantry. I… I think I should go now or I won’t be able to make myself leave. Here,” he took off the hold all bag he was carrying and gave it to Silver. “Everything I took from the tower. This and what Atreyu has should be enough to fetch you a little coin. Just be careful on the roads.”

“Wait, what about you?” Atreyu asked as he stood as well. Anders shook his head.

“I’ll be alright, I have learned a few tricks from my previous escapes. I’ll be fine,” Anders hugged Atreyu then Jowan, he would miss all of them. He ruffled the kids’ hair then turned and started north, the sooner he left the better it would be.

“Damn…” Atreyu said softly once Anders was gone.

“Do you think he’ll really be ok on his own?” Jowan asked.

“I guess, he’s right he has done this before,” Atreyu said. Jowan sighed and nodded.

“So… what do we do now?” Silver asked. Atreyu sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

“We find someone we can sell this stuff too, someone who doesn’t ask questions. Then we get new clothes so we don’t stand out anymore than we do. Get some food, water skins, weapons if we can. No staffs, like our robes that’s a dead giveaway we’re mages. Only use magic went we are alone or if we can’t avoid it,” Atreyu said. “And just make our way to the Wilds if we can.” Neither Jowan or Silver had a better idea and agreed with Atreyu.

 

*************

 

“I might be able to part with 3 sovereigns my boy, but not a coin more,” The Dwarf merchant they had found said.

“This dagger is surely worth more than that,” Jowan argued. How he ended up being the one to barter with the Dwarf he wasn’t sure. The Dwarf, who introduced himself as Bodahn Feddic, was friendly and seemed to really want to help the young Mages out. His son Sandal was busy playing with Gary and Revas as the teens shopped.

“Well… maybe I can throw in a couple of silvers, but I really can’t go much higher than that,” Bodahn said rubbing his chin. Atreyu hid a grin as he picked through Bodahn’s wares, looking for something wear. Atreyu was _sure_ Bodahn was giving Jowan a lot more, even at 3 sovereigns, than that dagger was worth. Silver giggled also, Jowan almost seem to be having fun bartering and shared a look with Atreyu who grinned back at her.

“Alright fine, 3 sovereigns and 2 silvers,” Jowan finally agreed. He had sold pretty much everything they could sale that was in the two hold all bags.

“Ahh,” Atreyu said in triumph as he finally found something he liked, something very much unlike the mage robes he had been forced to wear for so long. It was a sleeveless top made out of thick leather armor and lined with thick soft fur. There was a hood attached it to and all of the edges were boarded with the same thick fur. He also found a pair of sturdy thick buckskins and a pair of fingerless gloves. He forewent the shoes; he had never liked wearing shoes preferring to feel the earth under his feet and instead had wrapped cloth around the middle of his feet to protect them leaving his heel and front of his foot free.

Silver had also, after quite a bit of digging, found something she felt she could be comfortable with. Unlike the boys, Silver didn’t really have a problem with robes in fact she had been quite comfortable wearing them. She had only wished they had been a little bit more functional like armor and didn’t look like the circle robes as she had quite enough bad memories of that place thank-you-very-much. Still she did find something at last she could be satisfied with, a thick long sleeve shirt and tight black leather pants with knee high boots and after a bit more digging, a blue hooded cloak to hide her features until they were someplace safe.

“Not quite robes, but it’ll do,” She said with a grin. Maybe she could find a mage robe she liked that would work well with the top and pants later. Silver and Atreyu ducked behind the back of the cart to redress while Jowan looked for something to wear. He found a set of light leather tunic and matching pants that looked like a stitched together from different pieces of leathers in various shades of brown and tan. He then found a pair of boots that went with it and a fur lined cloak that looked like patch work leather on the outside.

“Well, I don’t think anyone is going to look at us and think ‘mages’,” Atreyu said as he fasten his new armor up to his neck.

“Isn’t that the point?” Silver asked with a giggle. Jowan handed Atreyu the bag of coins and ducked behind the cart to change as well.

“Ma serannas, Master Feddic, for helping us out,” Atreyu said with a slight bow to Bodahn.

“Ah think nothing of it,” Bodahn said with a wave of his hand. “On the run I take it, from the Chantry?”

“Yes,” Atreyu said. “You’re not going to turn us in are you?”

“You haven’t committed a crime have you?” Bodahn asked.

“Only if being a mage is a crime… which according to the Templars it pretty much is,” Atreyu deadpanned with a roll of his eyes.

“Well you lot seem alright to me and I haven’t a problem with mages,” Bodahn assured Atreyu. “Met quite a few decent mages in my life I have, ones outside the Chantry sight. You’ll find most dwarves don’t care one way or the other.”

“Again, my thanks Master Feddic,” Atreyu said glad to have met someone who didn’t care that they were mages.

“Oh Bodahn is fine. Plus my boy likes you and the young ones, that’s good enough for me,” Bodahn said with a laugh as he patted Atreyu on the back. “Shall we get the children set up then? I’m sure I have a few things that will fit the wee ones.”

And lucky for them, Bodahn did have a few shirts and pants that would fit Gary and Revas. They were a little big on the children, especially on Revas, but it would do until they reached a settlement. The three teens also bought weapons more fitted to them so they would have a backup plan should they have to hide their magic or if they were unlucky enough to run into Templars at least they could better protect themselves. Any coins left over would be used to buy some food and other supplies from the village Bodahn pointed out to them.

“Enchantment?” Sandal said as the mages got ready to leave. He was holding out a amulet to Revas in the shape of crescent moon.

“Thank you Sandal,” Revas said with a bright smile then hugged the young Dwarf.

“Enchantment!” Sandal said with a clap of his hands.

“Say goodbye my boy,” Bodahn said.

“Goodbye,” Sandal waved. Revas and Gary waved back as they left with Atreyu, Jowan and Silver, Revas clinging tight to Atreyu’s hand.


	3. Chapter 3

Where Fate Takes Us

Author: USA Tiger

Disclaimer: Dragon Age is property of BioWare

Author Note: oh my god, yes I know I haven’t updated this one in over a year and a half and I’m sorry about that. I have been working on the chapter, I really have. Chapter isn’t as long as the two previous ones, I am trying out shorter chapters for my fics to try to post more often.

Since I last updated, I have joined twitter and you can follow me @usa_tiger1983 where I post updates and sometimes story recs and everything else to do with my fanfics.

 

This chapter is currently un-betaed but as soon as my minion does I will replace this chapter.

 

Chapter 3

 

No one paid any attention to the white cat as it walked through the village. The cat jumped up onto a nearby fence post and started grooming itself as it listened with half an ear to the people nearby. Being able to shift into an animal gave Atreyu a perfect way to check the village out before he and his friends dared attempted to enter it. So far news that several mages had escaped the Circle of Magi hadn’t gotten out, Atreyu assumed that either the news didn’t travel that fast or Greagior and the Chantry were keeping it quiet for now. He would put his gold on the second one, it had to be an embarrassment for the Templars that so many had gotten free making Atreyu give a satisfied feline smirk and purr as it had been his doing.

What they did mention worried Atreyu a bit, Darkspawn. So there really were Darkspawn on the surface. Figuring he was going to get all the news he could as a cat, Atreyu gracefully leapt to the ground and headed out of the village with his tail held high. At the edge he was picked up by Jowan and carried into the woods to the little camp the three teens had made.

“Well?” Silver asked as soon as Atreyu had shifted back to his Elven form.

“So far no one knows that we’ve escaped from the tower,” Atreyu said as he sat down. He glanced around and saw Gary and Revas playing by the trees close to the camp then turned back to his friends as Jowan sat as well. “It could be that the news hadn’t reached the village yet but I think it’s more likely that the Templars hadn’t let it get out.”

“Greagior has got to be steaming mad,” Jowan said.

“When isn’t he mad?” Silver asked with a soft giggle.

“True, but such a mass break out? It’s never happen before,” Atreyu said smirking. “If everyone is smart they’ll keep their heads down and hopefully watch the other little ones. Maybe leave Ferelden all together to somewhere unknown.” Silver hummed and tapped her chin gently with a long finger.

“I bet they’re also keeping it quiet because if everyone knew so many mages got out of the tower, people would panic,” she said.

“Hmm, more than possible,” Atreyu agreed. “And people would lose faith in the Templars if they are seen not doing their jobs, something the Chantry wouldn’t want since they are the Chantry’s brute force. Another thing I learned seems those rumors are true, there have been Darkspawn sighted to the south.”

“That’s right, a lot of the Senior Enchanters left to assist the king’s army!” Jowan said. “I had forgotten about that.”

“Yeah, kinda worries me a bit,” Atreyu said with a frown. “Not just because it could be the start of a Blight but I was planning on taking all of you to my village and it’s in the south in the Wilds. If we can make it to the woods around the village we should be good, the area we settled in makes a good defense against the Darkspawn, but it’s getting there I’m worried about.”

“We’ll figure something out,” Jowan said.

“We could leave Ferelden all together,” Silver suggested. “We could go to the Free Marches, I’m originally from Kirkwall.”

“Don’t they have one of the harshest Circles in Thedas?” Atreyu asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes, but you’d be surprised how many free mages live in Kirkwall. You just have to be careful, there are also tunnels under the city, it’s called Dark Town,” Silver explained. “If you know where to look and where you’re going, you can hide and get out of the city fast. Or in it. It’s how my family and I left when we came to Ferelden.”

“We’ll keep it as a possibility,” Atreyu offered. “Right now I just want to get safe.”

“So we should be alright to head into the village for now,” Jowan said. “They won’t be looking for escaped mages.”

“We should still be on the lookout for Templars just in case,” Atreyu said. “Keep your hoods up if you can.” His two friends nodded in agreement and started breaking down their camp. Atreyu put out the campfire, smothering the embers with dirt then called the boys over. “We’re going to the village soon to get provisions. You both stick close to one of us.”

“Alright Atreyu,” Gary agreed. Revas nodded eagerly then held his arms out to be picked up. Atreyu was more than happy to pick up the tiny Elfkit that he was become quite attached too. He was thinking of claiming Revas as his foundling since the boy had no one else now.

Leaving behind as little evidence of their stay as possible, the small group of mages left the forest and headed toward the village.

 

*************

 

As the village was along the main road that acted like a trade route, no one really took notice of trio of youths and the two children with them. People were always coming and going inside the village after all. Atreyu and his friends headed for the market place, planning on spending the rest of their coin on food and other things to help them survive out in the wild. Atreyu ensured the hood of his armor was pulled up and his long hair was tucked inside, his long silvery white hair could catch someone’s attention after all which was the last thing Atreyu wanted. Silver and Jowan had their hoods up as well, each tackling a different booth.

As they bargained with the little coin they had left, Atreyu noticed someone watching them. A human male with scraggily, greasy black hair and a couple of nasty scars on his face. The man kept fingering the knives on his belt and had his attention focused on Atreyu’s coin bag.

 _‘A thief then,’_ Atreyu thought. He doubted the man would try anything out in the middle of market place, no… the man would follow them out to a more secluded place. _‘Lovely, just what we don’t need.’_

Atreyu bought a couple of proper knives to use for cooking and hunting and some jerky. He then bought Revas and Gary a couple of changes of clothing in their sizes, the girl running the booth gushing at how cute his ‘sons’ were and thankfully having no problem serving Elves. Revas shyly pressed his face against Atreyu’s shoulder as he was gushed over.

“Oh how sweet,” the girl said. “Shy little thing isn’t he?”

“A bit yeah, he’s never been out in a crowd like this,” Atreyu said. “Not use to so many people.”

“Cute little thing like him it’s a good thing he’s got a daddy like you to protect him,” the girl said. “Maker bless you and your sons.”

“Thanks,” Atreyu said with a forced smile on his face, he couldn’t fault the woman for believing in her own god after all. He paid for the outfits, at discount since his ‘sons’ were “So darn cute” according to the woman.

“Girls are weird,” Gary said as they walked away making Atreyu laugh. Out the corner of his eyes Atreyu spotted their would-be thief shadowing them.

 _‘Great, the guy still isn’t giving up,’_ Atreyu thought at he caught up with his friends.

“We ready?” Atreyu asked.

“I think so, this stuff will last us for a while hopefully,” Silver said. Jowan hiked the tent he bought up on his shoulder and nodded.

“Good, let’s get on our way then,” Atreyu said. Then in a softer voice added, “don’t look but we’re being followed.”

“Templar?” Silver asked worried.

“No, just a thief,” Atreyu assured her. “I’m hoping he’ll decide to lay off now that he sees three of us.” Jowan turned his head a bit as if he was going to say something to Silver and looked out the corner of his eye, a trick they used to keep watch for Templars or the Chantry sisters at the tower.

“I don’t see anyone,” Jowan said softly.

“Good, let’s get out of here then,” Atreyu said. The group of mages quickly moved off down the road, Revas wrapping his arms around Atreyu’s neck and Gary holding on to Silver’s hand. Luck did not seem to be on their side as they rounded a bend in the road that took them out of sight of the village, there were two men waiting on them, one of them the thief that had been following Atreyu.

“Lookie what we have here,” the man said with a sneer. Atreyu turned his head as he heard more footsteps and they were surrounded by 3 more men. All of them had their weapons drawn and were smirking.

“Think the knife ear stole money from a wealthy noble?” one of the other men asked. Atreyu scowled at being called a knife ear and held Revas closer.

“Who cares,” the apparent leader of the group said. “Now hand over all your money and _maybe_ we’ll let you leave.”

“I don’t know boss, the girl might catch a pretty coin,” another thief said as he leered at Silver. She stiffened and glared at the man.

“Maybe… maybe… the Elf is pretty too… I heard they’re always looking for new Elves up north,” another said.

“Not on your life,” Atreyu said and held up a hand and tossing a fireball at the leader, seeing no other choice.

“Fuck! The Elf a mage!” one thief yelped as he jumped out of the way. Jowan quickly drew the daggers he gotten from Bodahn and stood protectively in front of Silver and Gary. “Get them!”

Atreyu growled and quickly tossed up a barrier as did Silver, the girl holding Gary close to her side. Jowan swiped at the first thief that came near them, his attack clumsy but enough to get the man to jump back. Atreyu did his best to keep the men away from him and his friends but some spells needed him to use both hands to cast since he didn’t have a staff on him and Atreyu wasn’t about to set Revas down. One of the men realized that Revas was Atreyu’s weakness and attempted to attack the tiny Elven boy but got Atreyu instead as the Elf twisted and grunted in pain as the dagger nicked him.

“Now now, that’s not how you treat a kid,” A voice said from behind the group. Everyone’s attention was drawn to a pair of Dwarves standing a few feet away, a male Dwarf with a full reddish brown beard and shoulder length hair decorated by beads and tiny braids and a female Dwarf with her long hair pulled back into a thick braid that wrapped around her head like a crown.

“Bugger off shorty,” the greasy haired leader sneered.

“No see, we can’t do that,” the male Dwarf said.

“Guess we’ll just have to take care of you too then,” one of the other thieves said.

“Shall we dance then?” the male Dwarf said. Two of the men rushed toward the Dwarves while the other three turned their attention back to the mages. Atreyu had lowered Revas to the ground and quickly drew the bow he bought, an arrow already notched and ready to go. He let loose and hit the closest thief.

“Damn,” he said, the arrow had hit the thief but not where Atreyu had been aiming. It had been 10 years since he used a bow and while he hadn’t forgotten how, he was out of practice. Another arrow was drawn and quickly followed the first with a little burst of flame on the end, nailing the screaming man in the throat. He clutched at the arrow, gurgling on his blood as he bled out.

Jowan had used the distraction to set greasy’s hair on fire. As the leader of the thieves scream in pain Jowan rushed forward to slit his throat then quickly darted back. Silver held Gary’s face against her to shield him from all the death while she used force magic to pick up another thief and slammed him on the ground with enough force to break several bones including his neck.

On the other side of the road the male Dwarf had twisted to the side and brought the mace he held in his hands against the back of the man he was fighting knee.

“ARRGGGHH!” The man howled in pain and crumpled face first to the ground. The male Dwarf didn’t waste any time and moved quickly, bringing his mace down on the thief’s head before the man could even attempt to get up. At the same time the female Dwarf had swept the legs out from under her attacker making him land on his back with a loud whoosh of air. Atreyu and his friends watched as the she-Dwarf jabbed and hit the man with her bare hands, almost seeming to dance out of the way as the thief attempted to strike back at her. She was grinning and looked like she could be laughing yet no sound escaped from her.

“Ralvina quit playing and end it already,” the male Dwarf said. “I swear on my ancestors she’s like a damn cat.” The female Dwarf the other had called Ralvina rolled her eyes but did as her companion asked and kicked the thief between the legs sending the man down with a grunt of pain as he held his family jewels; Atreyu, Jowan and the male Dwarf winced at the action. Ralvina grabbed the downed man by the head and gave him a sharp twist, cleanly breaking his neck.

“Hey, let me see!” Gary said as he struggled against Silver’s hold.

“No way am I letting you see all that,” Silver said as she held on tighter. Atreyu had put away his bow and picked up Revas again, the little boy’s eyes shut tight just like Atreyu had told him.

“Ma serannas ser Dwarf,” Atreyu said as he walked over.

“No problem kid, you and your friends looked like you were in a bit of a tight spot,” the male Dwarf said with a nod. The girl Dwarf Ralvina kicked the man she killed and shot the body a glare then looked up tenderly at Revas. “Yeah I agree Ra, we didn’t like that they were going hurt the kids either. Name’s Jalan Arret.” The male Dwarf introduced himself, poking himself in the chest with his thumb. Now that they weren’t fighting, Atreyu noticed that Jalan had a ‘S’ shaped mark on his right cheek which meant he was a Casteless. “And this is Ralvina Zylro.” The girl Dwarf bowed slightly still not saying a word.

“We can’t thank you enough,” Silver said gratefully. Jalan laughed and gave her a charming smile.

“Well I’m glad we could help out,” he said. “But I’m sure sounds of our fight reached the village so I would suggest we loot any coin we can and get out of here, I’m sure you three don’t want to get caught.” The trio of mages paled slightly, getting caught was the last thing they wanted. Ralvina walked over and grabbed Gary’s hand then motioned for Atreyu to put Revas down. Atreyu was a bit wary but put Revas down. Ralvina smiled at Revas then looked at Jalan and made some motions with her hands. Jalan nodded then looked up at the Mages. “Ra said she’ll take the kids back to our landship and wait on us. Come on, let’s get to looting.” Ralvina led the Elfkits away, nodding her head in the right places as Gary started asking her questions.

Atreyu, Jowan and Silver followed Jalan’s instructions and looted anything sellable and all the coin they could find off the thieves bodies, not feeling too bad about it since they had been trying to rob the small group and had spoke about selling Atreyu and Silver into slavery.

“Why are you helping us?” Jowan asked as he pocketed a coin bag, trying to ignore the bit of blood clinging to the bag. Jalan shrugged one shoulder.

“You needed help,” the Dwarf said. “And I might be a Casteless but I don’t like thugs attacking woman and children, not that I think you’re helpless pretty lady.” He winked at Silver who laughed. Atreyu’s ears twitched slightly and he looked in the direction of the village.

“I hear people coming,” he said.

“And that’s our que to get out of here,” Jalan said. “Come on, this way.”  The trio of escaped mages didn’t argue and followed after Jalan to a cart waiting a bit off the road. Ralvina was waiting in the seat holding the reigns of the horses pulling the cart. Gary and Revas were sitting behind her in the cart. Atreyu and his friends quickly climbed into the back while Jalan quickly sat beside the other Dwarf. “Get us out of here Ra.” Ralvina snapped the reigns getting the horses to get a move on, pulling onto the road and away from the village.

Silver shifted as something dug into her hip until she was able to pull out a small shield. The front was painted blue and had a silver griffon in the center.

“Hey isn’t that…” Jowan started to ask with wide eyes. Jalan looked over his shoulder and let out a bark of laughter.

“Yeah, I guess I should have mentioned it. We’re Gray Wardens,” he said.

 

**********

 

“How in the name of the Maker are we going to get out of the city?” A female elf with shoulder length crimson red hair, braids starting from the peak of her hair and pulled to the back with two more hanging on either side of her face. Her green eyes were worriedly searched the docks above her as she and the other Elf with her hid. “Denerim is crawling with soldiers looking for us.”

“We could always swim under the docks to the outer wall and sneak out that way,” her companion suggested in a whisper, his hair just as red with braids starting at the temples and pulled back from his face which was marked with light gray tattoos made up of graceful lines, the ones on his cheeks almost looking like wings.

“Neither of us know how to swim Jamison,” the girl Elf said dryly as her eyes darted to her brother. The male Elf, Jamison, rolled his equally green eyes.

“You didn’t think I was serious did you?” he asked then shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, I was half serious. We’ve got to find a way to escape Fable.”

Jamison and Fable Tabris were the twin children to Cyrion and Adaia Tabris. Their father had for years been a servant in one of the Bann’s estates in Denerim, working in the kitchen as a cook. Their mother on the other hand had been a rouge and trouble maker. She taught both her children how to fight and how to use weapons much to Cyrion’s chagrin, Fable excelled with blades favoring daggers while her brother took to the bow. Adaia had been very proud of her children as they mastered their chosen weapons… the Tabris siblings and Cyrion missed Adaia every day since her death.

The twins’ current situation had started that morning… well not quite true; it had started even before that. The Tabris’s were somewhat well off, for Elves anyway though they were still very poor compared to humans, and their family was very well respected among the various Elven alienages. This had paved the way for Cyrion and their alienage Matchmaker to pick them both future spouses that were more desirable than usual. Jamison and Fable were _not_ happy about that situation at all, not only did they not want their future partners chosen for them, no matter how well it worked out for their parents, but there was also the fact that neither twin was attracted to the opposite sex. The twin just knew that the Matchmaker was not taking that into consideration when picking their future spouses for them.

When all was said and done, the Matchmaker one night came over to the Tabris house and happily announced that she had secured a successful match for the twins and their cousin Soris. Fable and Soris’s betrothed were already on their way to Denerim while Jamison’s would be another week or so behind them. It was tough to tell who was more irritated and disappointed with the news; Fable, Jamison or Soris.

Originally the plan had been to wait for Jamison’s match to arrive so the twins could marry at the same time, but for some reason the alienage’s Hahren Valendrian insisted that Fable was married alongside Soris as soon at their betrotheds arrived. Valendrian kept shooting worried, nervous glances up to the day of the wedding at Jamison who still didn’t know what that was about.

So the night before Jamison and their other cousin Shianni took it among their selves to give Fable and Soris a night to relax before the wedding. There had been a lot of drinking involved all around.

That had lead to this morning… Maker Jamison couldn’t believe how wrong it had all gone, glancing up nervously with Fable as a pair of guards walked above them. They held their breaths, hands clutching at their weapons until the guards walked away. .

“Fable, we’ve got to do something,” Jamison hissed. “Swim, or sneak through the city to the gates, or I don’t know, stow away on one of these boats, but we’re going to get caught if we don’t move soon.”

“I know that Jamie but… hey what did you just say?” Fable glanced at her brother.

“What? Sneaking out of the city or sneaking onto a boat?” Jamison asked back.

“Now that isn’t too bad of an idea,” a sultry voice said behind them. The Elves yelped and quickly turned, weapons held at ready. A woman crotched balanced on a beam just above them, an elegant eyebrow raised and a playful smirk on her lips. “If you were running that is. Are you running, sweet things?”

The woman had dusky skin tone, dark golden eyes and long dark brown, almost black hair that fell in ringlets around her shoulders. She wore a tight, short sleeve-less white dress with slits on the sides up to her hips and the front dipped to show a bit of her impressive cleavage, the dress held close by tight lacing. She wore tight-high leather boots, had a blue sash tied around her waist with a matching handkerchief on her head that kept her hair pushed back from her face. All of her jewelry was made of gold with a golden stud in her bottom lip, gold disks hanging from her ears, some sort of golden armband on her left arm hidden by her fingerless gauntlet and pieces of armor, and a collar chocker decorated with delicate looking designs, a oval shaped jade stone and little golden disks that matched her ears that hung down to the top of her bosom.

Fable’s green eyes took all of the shem woman in and couldn’t help the grin that her lips curled up into. The woman was stunning looking, like sex on legs, but was clearly dangerous if that lean body or those daggers on her back were anything to go by. Unlike her brain dead betrothed Nelaros, this woman was much more to her liking.

 _‘Okay, that’s not fair to Nelaros,’_ Fable thought with a bit of a wince, she hadn’t wanted to marry the man and didn’t think they would have had any sort of happy marriage but what she heard about him was that he was some sort of smith and something of a fighter. He really was a good match, for someone else that is. And he had come with her brother and their cousin to rescue her and the others though it resulted in his death.

“Yeah, you could say that,” Jamison said knocking Fable out of her thoughts.

“I wager then that the soldiers out today are looking for you two,” the woman said. “Something to do with business up at the Arl’s estate?” A look of wariness crossed both Elves’ faces as they moved back slightly, grips tight on their weapons again.

“And if it is?” Fable said in a tight voice.

“I think you have a very good reason then,” the other woman said. “Why don’t you come onto my ship?”

“Your ship?” Fable asked.

“Aye, that one there,” the woman turned and pointed at one of the ships with the name _Siren’s Call_ painted on the side, one that was in a spot where the woman and her crew could see the twins perfectly under the docks the whole time.

“I haven’t got anything to lose,” Jamison pointed out. “I mean, they know we’re here but haven’t alerted the guards.”

“Maker,” Fable said with a little sigh then looked at the woman again. “Alright shem, we’ll go but if you try any funny business we won’t hesitate to defend ourselves.”

“Of course, but I won’t harm you sweet thing, or your brother,” the woman said. “My name is Isabela, pirate captain of the _Siren’s Call_.” Jamison bit back a snort of amusement as a quick flash of interest flashed in Fable’s eyes. His sister was something of a little thief, she liked to pickpocket shem’s in the markets and at night she would break into homes to steal little things for no real reason other than she could and to mess with the humans. The sexy pirate lady would catch his twin’s eye.

“Alright then,” Fable said as she sheathed her knives. “I’m Fable Tabris, this is my brother Jamison.” Jamison gave the good captain a quick salute of his fingers.

“It’s a pleasure,” Isabela all but purred as she held out her hand to help Fable out of their hiding spot while Jamison helped himself. “Come on then, before those soldiers come back.”


End file.
